Wafer test control and methodologies are provided for resuming the probing of a wafer, in connection with random, distributed or statistical wafer probing. The resumption of testing may occur after an interruption of a previous probe of the wafer and removal of the wafer from a testing chuck. Parameter settings are retained in addition to probe results from the previous wafer probe session in order to construct a resume probe map according to applicable probing rules and conditions. Wafer probing may be restarted according to the resume probe map.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method of resuming probing of a wafer, in connection with random, distributed or statistical wafer probing, following an interruption of a previous probe, comprising the following steps: (a) receiving parameter settings corresponding to one or more previous probes; (b) receiving probe map making rules; (c) collecting probe data corresponding to one or more previous probes; (d) checking for yield data exceptions; (e) checking for limit value exceptions; (f) generating a resume probe map subject to probe map making rules concerning yield data and limit value exceptions; and (g) probing the wafer according to the resume probe map.
2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the parameter settings are microcontroller register settings.
3. The method of resuming probing of a wafer as recited in claim 2 wherein the register settings consist of settings selected from those indicative of a full probe, a blob probe, a bin exception, a fill operation and combinations thereof.
4. The method of resuming probing of a wafer as recited in claim 1 , wherein the previous probe is generated from a probe map specifying a probe of fewer than all die on the wafer.
5. The method of resuming probing of a wafer as recited in claim 1 further comprising iteratively performing steps (a) through (g) in claim 1 until after encountering a full probe, the yield data exception, the limit value exception, probe completion or probe interruption.
6. The method of resuming probing of a wafer as recited in claim 1 wherein the resume probe map corresponds to a full probe map in conjunction with the parameter settings indicating a full probe.
7. The method of resuming probing of a wafer as recited in claim 1 wherein the resume probe map corresponds to a blob probe map in conjunction with the parameter settings indicating a blob probe.
8. The method of resuming probing of a wafer, as recited in claim 1 , wherein the resume probe map corresponds to a full probe map in conjunction with the probe data corresponding to the previous probe indicating a bin exception occurrence.
9. The method of resuming probing of a wafer, as recited in claim 1 , wherein a resume map is generated in response to a sample probe parameter being set.
10. The method of resuming probing of a wafer, as recited in claim 1 , which further comprises removing the wafer from a test setup in response to a completion of the wafer probing in conjunction with attaining the limit value exception.
11. The method of resuming probing of a wafer, as recited in claim 1 , which further comprises removing the wafer from a test setup in response to a completion of the wafer probing in conjunction with attaining the yield data exceptions a yield exception value.
12. A non-transitory, computer-readable, programmable product, for use in conjunction with a programmable logic controller comprising code, executable by the programmable logic controller, for causing the programmable logic controller to do the following in connection with random, distributed or statistical wafer probing: collect parameter settings corresponding to a previous probe of a wafer; collect, from memory, probe map making rules; collect, from memory, probe data corresponding to the previous probe; check for yield data exceptions; check for limit value exceptions; generate a resume probe map, based on collected probe data and collected parameter settings, subject to probe map making rules concerning yield data and limit value exceptions; and cause a probe of the wafer according to the resume probe map.
13. The non-transitory, computer-readable, programmable product, as recited in claim 12 , further comprising code for causing the programmable logic controller to produce a probe map for an initial sampling plan based on statistical sampling of fewer than all die on a wafer.
14. The non-transitory, computer-readable, programmable product, as recited in claim 13 , further comprising code for causing the programmable logic controller to alter the initial sampling plan based upon probe results.
15. The non-transitory, computer-readable, programmable product, as recited in claim 13 , wherein the initial sampling plan is based on a statistical sampling scheme selected from the group consisting of simple random sampling; cluster sampling; stratified sampling systematic sampling and multistage sampling.
16. The non-transitory, computer-readable, programmable product, as recited in claim 15 , further comprising code for causing the programmable logic controller to alter the sampling plan based upon probe results.
17. The non-transitory, computer-readable, programmable product, as recited in claim 12 wherein the parameter settings are microprocessor register settings.
18. A non-transitory, computer-readable, programmable product, for use in conjunction with a microprocessor comprising code, executable by the microprocessor, for causing the microprocessor to do the following in connection with random, distributed or statistical wafer probing: collect parameter settings corresponding to a previous probe of a wafer; collect, from memory, probe map making rules; collect, from memory, probe data corresponding to the previous probe; check for yield data exceptions; check for limit value exceptions; generate a resume probe map, based on collected probe data and collected parameter settings, subject to probe map making rules concerning yield data and limit value exceptions; and cause a probe of the wafer according to the resume probe map.
19. The non-transitory, computer-readable, programmable product, as recited in claim 18 , further comprising code for causing the microprocessor to produce a probe map for an initial sampling plan that causes a probe of the wafer based on statistical sampling of fewer than all die on a wafer.
20. The non-transitory, computer-readable, programmable product, as recited in claim 19 , further comprising code for causing the microprocessor to cause a probe of the wafer according to a statistical sampling scheme, implemented according to the initial sampling plan, selected from the group consisting of simple random sampling; cluster sampling; stratified sampling systematic sampling and multistage sampling.
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January 22, 2019
March 23, 2021
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